Mother soon came home, telling of the want and suffering among the
people. The King had gone from the Island on the last boat, leaving them
to fare as best they could. They had come to the Island too late to
plant anything that season and none of them knew how to fish or help
themselves. They suffered cold, hunger and death that winter without
complaint of their King. Their whole cry was "Oh, if our King were only
here." There was some one every day to our house and Aunt Loaney's. The
Mormons were in a starving condition. Father gave to them until he
feared we should be left with nothing. Grandpa was afraid we children
would be left hungry, so he buried many things for us. Mother and Auntie
were always busy cooking and carrying food to the sick and dying. Mrs.
McKinley was just as busy at the Point helping the suffering people all
she could. There were several deaths in the winter and spring. After
awhile father, grandpa and the boys put some nets through the ice,
catching many fish for the hungry people. Our boys set hooks, showing
the Mormon boys how to catch the fish to keep themselves from starving.
Father and mother were so much among them they began to learn something
about their strange belief, which was peculiar, their faith being all
placed on their leader, "King James," as they often called Strang,
always calling upon him to help them in their trouble. Mother said to
them, "Why do you call upon man to help you? Why don't you call upon God
and pray to him for help?" They would not listen, saying, "Has not our
King the revelations revealed to him?"